The Biden administration was surprised and outraged by the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran over a week ago, according to a report in the Washington Post on Wednesday, and considered it a setback to the months-long efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza.
According to the report citing unnamed sources, Israel, which has not claimed responsibility for the killing, informed the administration of the assassination soon after it occurred.
This is not the fist time that the U.S. has voiced criticism of the assassination of Haniyeh and concern that it was harmful to negotiations. U.S. President Joe Biden said publicly last week that it was "not helpful" to efforts for a cease-fire. He then told Netanyahu in their heated telephone call on Thursday "Stop bullshitting me," and to stop taking the president of the United States for granted.
The Post reported that the administration was rushing to avert an escalation in the region, that could lead to an all-out war, and that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was applying indirect pressure on Iran through Arab leaders, calling for restraint.
“No one should escalate this conflict,” Blinken told reporters Tuesday. “We’ve been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We communicated that message directly to Israel.”
Blinken said the U.S. is committed to Israel's security and would continue to defend it against terror groups and their sponsors, and added that negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza were nearing their final stage.
Blinken also said Yahya Sinwar, who was elected to replace Haniyeh, remained the sole decider on whether a cease-fire was agreed.